Kuji no Inn
by micro.soutan
Summary: A series of one shots that highlight the strength/relationships among the Konoha 12.
1. Opening (Team 10)

Shino Aburame is many things. He is a simple teenage boy, with equally simple interests. The teenager feels a deep connection toward his colony, a kinship to the kikaichu that he had spent most of his life cultivating and caring for. He is a ninja, a loyal vassal to the entity that was Kohanagakure. Of the Aburame Clan, he was being raised with intentions of becoming the next clan head. With the progress made over the last few years, he was well on the way towards that title, as well. He is an ally to the ninja of his village, of course and a dear friend to two ninja in particular.

 _'Duck, don't let her touch you.'_

Shino Aburame is many things, and among those things, he is ambitious. In training, he and those two dearest partners spar daily. It's part of the same training regimen Kurenai used to give to them before her pregnancy. While their specialization was tracking above all else, it was critically important for them to be able to utilize close quarters combat, as their team makeup was very... close range, in terms of raw power. Their kunoichi's strongest skills were best used up close, and their bruiser of a hound master was terrifyingly strong, good for subduing a target after tracking them. So, what did that leave the Aburame, exactly? ' _Duck_ '

Shino can keep up with his own thoughts, and he's indeed quick enough to bend his entire body, snaking out of the way of Hinata's Gentle Fist. But... he can't anticipate Kiba's more eccentric style of fighting or the _speed_ behind it. As a result, the Aburame takes a earthshaking strike to the jaw, courtesy of a balled fist, and when his body goes flying, crashing head-on into the nearby wooden post, he hears a collective gasp.

Shino Aburame is many things. A taijutsu specialist is not one of them.

"Shit, Shino are you alright?" There's genuine concern in Kiba's voice and before the glasses wearing shinobi could even finish counting the stars that blurred his vision, the Inuzuka and his massive dog were upon him. It's... embarrassingly satisfying to be comforted in such a way, but shinobi doesn't admit to it. The sky looks rather pleasant from this point of view, and the training ground they frequented was deep within the Forest of Death, so he could practically hear the wildlife and feel the chakra of the world at large, now that his kikaichu had been shaken awake and spread their influence over the grounds.

"I am fine, Kiba. Merely a misstep." They were doing this training in the first place because his own taijutsu was beginning to fall behind theirs, and there was only so much he could do with his colony from a distance. Typically the quiet and introverted sort, Shino was the one to propose the group sparring this time around. A bit of a work out, just to loosen up their muscles before they moved on to today's tracking exercise. Getting up, the teenager lowers his hand so Akamaru may lick it, and then smiles to Hinata, who is clearly concerned.

"...you were hit hard, don't you think?" She could clearly see the inflammation beginning to bloom across his otherwise pale jawline. Clearly, Kiba never pulled his punches. "We can just call the exercise off, I'm sure Ino would rather be doing something else anyways..." The sun was barely up, so certainly their blonde companion would prefer to be in bed, asleep. It was only with a fair payment and promise of various means that they managed to get her here in the first place. Kiba, ever oblivious, squints and scratches behind his ear as he asks.

"Eh? Why does she have to be the one to do this, again? It's not like we won't be able to find her." Their tracking sessions rarely involved people from Konoha, and involving a fellow Chunin? It was making their job _much_ too simple. It didn't make any sense at all, when these exercises typically involved tracking down specific breeds of snake or badgers or any sort of animal native to these woods. While Shino understood this line of reasoning, he's informed enough (or, sharp enough) to understand the true nature of this.

"...We're not just tracking her, Kiba. This is just a _retrieval_ exercise. After what happened in Land of the Tea, the Fifth recommended that we do more training in both tracking and subduing a target." There's a weighted silence, in which he takes the time to get up. Catching the other boys eyes, he's a little surprised to see _regret_ present, of all things. The mission in question hadn't been a disaster, by any means. A simple task, travel with a Jounin to the bordering lands in the Wind Country, find a daiymo's daughter, bring her home in one piece. The child had lived, as the kidnappers were at best Chunin level ninja that had no inkling of coordination. The issue was...

"We have to work on capturing targets effectively." Somehow, the mission reports failed to mention that this princess not _only_ had run away, but she was skilled in the art of deception and simple tricks. All it had taken was a rather noxious stink bomb to disable all three trackers and if it weren't for the quick thinking of their Jounin commander Asuma, the girl would have gotten away from them. Kiba seems to recognize this, as he bares his teeth lightly, crossing his arms in indignation. Even if he could acknowledge that they had room to grow, he couldn't help but be frustrated. How long had they been a sensor team now? And they still were suspect to such juvenile games.

"I-it was just a mistake! If we weren't exhausted, we could have just tracked her chakra." The normally timid Hyuuga has no reservations about consoling her teammate, understanding that the feeling of inadequacy was daunting. Her fingers go to brush against the ninja's leather jacket, as she rubs at his shoulder. "We can use this opportunity to practice chakra sensing, like Sensei taught us." Always the idealist, Hinata wants to see the best in this day. Ino had to be _convinced_ , yes, but she had been picked especially, practically recommended by both Kurenai and Asuma for some reason. When Kurenai had heard about the mission and presented the problem to her husband, the ninja had been quick to suggest Ino to join in on their training for... some reason. And even if the three chunin couldn't understand it, she still trusted their decision!

These words seem to be enough to motivate her friends, as Shino appears a little better for wear as he stands, fixing his sunglasses on his face. "...Hinata's correct. There was an oversight in our judgement and thankfully, our superior was able to handle the situation. Even if the nature of this exercise is unclear, it's a good chance to reinforce the fundamentals." Taking the first steps towards the forest proper, he beckons the other two. "It would be a good idea to get to work, don't you think? Ino should be in position by now and Sensei told us that the timer starts at sunrise." The first rays of morning greet Akamaru's dew kissed fur, as if giving them all a warning. The ninken stretches out lazily in the grasses, whining sleepily as Kiba scratches his ears to rouse the dog.

"Stay, boy." It was supposed to be a simple retrival mission, and even if they specialized in such tasks, bringing Akamaru would be overkill... wouldn't it?

Underestimating the task would be their first mistake.

* * *

Deep within the Forest of Death, Konohagakure's own fashionista was _trying_ to grow accustomed to these ridiculous conditions, but it wasn't really going well. The payment she had received were starting to feel just a bit meager in the face of what she had to do to earn it. Wake up at the ass crack of dawn, just to wait for some weirdos to find her? Just what was Asuma-Sensei _thinking_ with this? Sure, she was on friendly terms with the team, but how could she possibly help Hinata and the others with something like this? When she had been approached by the two Jounin teachers, she had assumed it was because they were looking to her for floral arrangements for the baby shower. To hear that they wanted her to assist an entire chunin squad with a field of expertise that was completely opposite of her skill set was... far more vexing. It's a trial to wake up so early in the morning, make sure her hair and makeup are minimal enough to survive the conditions in the forest, be sure to take a solider pill or two with her, just so she could keep up with the three ninja, be sure to keep her supplies packed.

The only advice Asuma had given her had been surprising, though. He puffed cigarette smoke in her face, blinked balefully at her, and said "Consider it your recommendation for Jonin, if you can knock all three of them out before noon."

At first, she hadn't understood. She hadn't even been _vocal_ about her eyes on the title in the past months. She hadn't spoken to anyone, not even her parents about the interest, and the dream was only a dream, after all. She was a heiress in one way or another, but the flower girl was still down to earth. She could recognize that at sixteen, she lacked the proper experience or strength necessary for the role. She could be a leader in certain situations, maybe, but she was still years off from being able to hold herself on the same level that she had seen her own sensei or any of the other Jounin fight.

But still, the words had lit a fire in the blonde.

Instead of fuming about her lot in life, she tried to be more like Chouji. See the 'light' in a crappy situation. Sure, she had to be up before birds even began their morning song, and surviving in the Forest involved a level of alertness that she found tedious (yes, those traps near her camping ground were absolutely necessary, because she'd be damned if any of those giant fucking snakes touched her), but... it felt nice, in a weird way. She had spent years honing her body as a weapon, right? Years training alongside Shikamaru and Chouji to be the perfect machine of a team, and her role was usually just moral support, a second opinion when their teams genius needed insight, or a second line of defense of Chouji couldn't stop the enemy with strength alone. By herself, she could... fight differently. She'd have to, if she had any hopes of coming out on top of this.

Even if she was still a ways off from the rank, she'd earn that fucking recommendation.

* * *

The Forest of Death was one of the many staples of Konoha. Many ninja were introduced to the brutal conditions of the training grounds at the rank of Genin, either in form of the Chunin Examinations, or in ways of a mission assignment that would lead them there. Previous Hokage had considered the experience to be 'character building'. In three-man squads, survival exercises in the wild were essential to teach young ninja not only the means to fend for themselves, but fend for one another. This capacity is what really seperated the Rookie 12 from the rest of the Genin.

Team 8, from the very beginning of their formation, had always had a natural synergy. Boisterous and utterly brutal Kiba had no qualms about taking the front position, using his sharp nose to scout in a wide area around them and his strength to act as a first line of defense, should anything threatening creep up on them. His trust in Hinata's absurdly high range of vision helped drive them through the perils and anything that was too quick for him to follow, would always be caught by her field of divination. Combining that with the scouting prowerss of Shino's kikaichu made the chance of anything surprising them fairly slim.

As a result, the team was exposed to the unforgiving nature of the forest a bit earlier than most. Their 'bell test' in a sense, had been very similar to the task they were given today. Find Kurenai with no given information about her whereabouts. Even then, Hinata had the natural talent of a chakra sensor and although the woods were too treacherous for Shino's bugs to be effective at that age, Kiba and Akamaru had already gotten wind of her scent. Even with the creatures that roamed the wilds, giant bears, snakes the size of evergreens, and such, they were able to safely find the woman without much trouble.

So, with three more years of experience under their belts and the rank of Chunin, how could Ino possibly stand a chance against all three of them?

"...Have you picked up anything yet, Kiba?" The morning wind was moving to their benefit, and as such, the dog user imagined that he would be able to pick up on the scent of flowers and nail polish before Shino's bugs or Hinata's eyes found anything. The Yamanaka had a very distinct smell, and even if she had lessons in concealment (which was likely, considering her teams specialty), she wouldn't be able to avoid them for much longer.

"Not yet. But if we keep following these tracks, we'll run into her eventually." Shino's bugs had been able to pick up on small slivers of hair and fabric left behind, that had to have been recent, so following that had been their inital plan. When they were in proximity of her, they should be able to...

"There's a problem." Shino's tone rarely goes beyond calm and collected and typically when it does, it's not good news. He sounds genuinely surprised as the bug controller comes to a pause, putting a palm out and allowing one of his many beetles to fly back against his palm. "...Something in these woods is disrupting my kikaichu." It was as if... his senses were muted. He could feel the beck and call of the workers that had migrated from their queen, but they felt much further away than he thought possible, practically at the outskirts of his network already.

"It's hard to explain but... I think-" He's interrupted by the whir of a kunai before he could give an assessment. Once again caught off guard, he barely ducks out of the way, throwing shuriken in retaliation as Hinata's Byakugan activates. Even if they had been expecting nothing spectacular, the team still slips into a natural defense formation without a second thought. Kiba takes up the front, bowed on all fours as Shino and Hinata provide support to his flank. While Shino is wordlessly calling to any and all of his insects, the Hyuuga scans their surroundings.

"In the trees, two hundred and fifty meters southwest." She can't identify the flare of chakra as Ino, but it would make sense. If the girl is trying to avoid being caught by sensors, this would probably be the best course of action. Hide her signature and then let it be known just after making her attack, to throw them off the trail.

No sooner than Hinata barked her warning, does a flare of something orange and yellow come from the source of chakra. The reaction garnered for such a jutsu is shock, and then a immediate defensive measure is taken. The three separate, all finding their own footing in the forest before the flames could engulf the spot where they'd once been. Since when did Ino pick up a jutsu like _that_? And why would she use it so readily? Wasn't the point of this exercise for her to avoid detection? She had essentially screamed her location to the world with such a flashy attack.

Hinata is truly vexed, but she has no time to question the blondes motives anymore. There's thick smoke in the wake of the explosion and while her eyes are adjusting to the dust, a lithe shadow moves through it. Her Byuakugan finds the chakra signature again just as she's pierced by heavenly green eyes. The chakra building in her fingertips for a counterattack fizzles out right as something chill creeps down her spine. With the chill, the world and all its sensations deafen her in the intensity and whatever this genjutsu was... it had been effective in disorienting her.

As the kunoichi dukes it out with an enemy she couldn't see or hear, Kiba and Shino were having no luck in locating her. As if done on purpose, the flames sparked by Ino's attack had left the forest charred and smelling heavily of sulfur, effectively stopping Kiba's heightened sense of smell. Without any visibility, they were essentially fighting blind in the rolling smoke. Growling and making a few quick hand signs, Team 8's bruiser is creative enough to focus his chakra toward his nose, taking a big breath of air before exhaling. While not exactly a _technique_ , the gust of wind is just enough to force the smoke astray, giving them a clear shot of Hinata, who seemed just a little unsteady on her feet.

"Hinata!" Shino only rushes when he realizes that the girl might fall over, and imagines that she had gotten hit with something while they were in the smokescreen. It would be within Ino's wheelhouse to work in such a cunning way, to avoid having to face all three of them simultaneously. Scooping an arm around the flushed teenager, he examines her briefly. Her skin is as fair as always, even if her eyes were a bit unfocused and her pulse weak. Maybe a simple genjutsu? He saw no wounds or anything to indicate a toxin, so...

'Hinata' gives away the ruse with an impish smile, the normally demure face breaking into something a little chaotic as both chunin present realized what was going on, just a few seconds too late. "Wait, Shino! Let her g-"

" _Kai_!" Ino isn't familiar with the Gentle Fist style, but with the body she stole, she had sixteen years of muscle memory and trained chakra coils backing her up. Shino's a sharp mind, but he's too slow to jump back, to even let his 'friend' go before an extended index and middle finger blast chakra into his body in four swift shots. It's light work, sealing the tenketsu in his arms and she manages to get a fifth blow to his thigh, before Kiba finally reacts. A flurry of hand signs, ending with the man on all fours.

" **Inuzuka Art: Man-Beast Transformation!** "

What took him several hand signs, only takes Ino one to counter, as she affixes her hands in a box and looks off in the distance, somewhere over the ridge of trees. "Release!" The Mind-Transfer Jutsu comes undone just in time for Kiba to pull back, a claw short of impaling his ally as Hinata's body slumped and Shino fell with her. While Shino wasn't rendered unconscious by the attack, he was completely immobile and with his partner's limp form on top of him, he was at a loss of what to do.

In just the span of a few seconds, two of them had been taken out?

Kiba looks his teammates, the same surprise registering across his expression. "Ino..." She used a fire-style just to catch them by surprise and mess with their senses long enough to attack their most potent fighter while their defenses were down. She attacked, knowing that they would separate, and then used the advantage she had to cast her jutsu.

Was this really the same blonde haired kunoichi that hung with Shikamaru and Chouji?

Sure, they sparsely interacted with the other rookies, especially after Naruto had left and everyone went on their own paths towards power, but... they would have _noticed_ if Ino had become this powerful, right? He begins to frantically think back, think to all the times he'd seen Ino in the village. Who did she hang with, outside of her team? She favored Sakura, but that was a given considering they were both naturals with the Mystic Palm and the two were childhood friends. As far as he had known, she never hung out with any of the older shinobi to learn ninja tactics, and the only interactions she had that made sense were with patrons at her flower shop.

Entrapped by his own thoughts, Kiba nearly misses the rather bold attack. Smelling Ino's perfume before he could see her fist, the boy nimbly bends back, falling onto a neat handstand and flipping backward to avoid the kick that followed. Was she even confident enough to face him in _taijutsu_ , now?

* * *

Her eyes are... surprisingly fierce, when they meet Kiba's, and it's for good reason! She wants a challenge out of this one, since both Hinata and Shino had fallen without much of a fight. These guys knew what her signature jutsu was, and still were caught by it! They had barely displayed teamwork, outside of quick communication and predictible behavior and although they were the same rank, Ino was a little... _disappointed_. She wasn't a glutton for punishment, but the fact that neither ninja had even put up a fight before being incapacitated was... surprising to say the least. Would Asuma-sensei even hold true to giving his recommendation, after Team 8 reported how they lost in such a underhanded fashion? At the very least, she could flaunt her prowess here. Kiba was the only one of the three she couldn't predict accurately. Hinata was readable, a defensive type shinobi that specialized in mid-ranged combat above all else. Abusing her blind spot and getting in close was the only effective way to fight her. Meanwhile Shino's network of kikaichu were almost impenetrable, but with just a few petunias and marigolds, he was rendered to the effectiveness of a Genin, his bugs completely disabled before the fight could even start. Those two had been easy to plot against, because they were shinobi that relied on their trademarks, without knowing their weaknesses.

But Kiba didn't bring Akamaru with him, for whatever reason. Was he underestimating her? Ino imagined that she could fool Akamaru's sense of smell long enough to subdue them both, but the Chunin apparently didn't want to risk his dog being hurt in the 'training'.

On the back foot, he quirks an eyebrow at her, fangs glinting as he barked. "For a game of hide and seek, you're doing a pretty crap job. You're supposed to be avoiding us-"

The thought isn't finished, because Ino's foot finds purchase in the soil and as she kicks up dirt, her heel spins in a neat roundhouse. With the first block, begins a flurry of deft and furious taijutsu that drowns out any further conversation. The same blue irises seem to pierce Kiba, who grunts under the force of each and every oncoming blow. Brow furrowed, she's treating the scenario like a real combat situation, not giving in to the urge to taunt or be overconfident.

 _'End the fight, don't let him up or he'll use a clan jutsu.'_ She knows the Inuzuka's fighting style is feral for a _reason_ and even without his ninken, Ino didn't want to take her chances against Kiba in a serious fight. The instant they separate, there are senbon thrown toward his hands, as if the girl already knew what he was trying to do.

"Why would I _avoid_ someone I can beat?!" Her voice rings throughout the forest and Kiba is frozen, locked by the urge to reply and just genuine _shock_ at her hubris. The few seconds are all Ino needs, though. Once the needles find purchase in his hands, the brunette lets out a grunt of surprise.

"P-poison...?" She laced her senbon with _poison_? There weren't even any poison specialists in the village, to his knowledge. But still, his muscles lock up as the paralytic began to set in, forcing the boy onto his back as Ino approached with a kunai.

"Sakura made it for me, actually." It had been just an extra precaution, a _just in case_. And surprisingly, the pinkette really knew best.

* * *

"...You promised her a recommendation for Jonin?" From the safety of the trees and obscured soundly by a genjutsu, Kurenai and her husband watch the spectacle, both of their faces surprised. "I... would say I don't understand, but after that display? She probably deserves it more than anyone else." Kurenai had been skeptical when she first heard it, but watching Ino utterly trounce her students was eye-opening. The girl was a blossoming youth, something of terrifying power. And while most didn't take her seriously outside of her reputation in the Ino-Shika-Chou formation, they would, if they were to ever see her in combat.

There's a smile on Asuma's face as he lets his cigarette loose to the corner of his mouth. "Ino was the number one kunoichi of her class. Nearly tied with Sasuke for the spot as the top genin." There was something to be said about natural talent, but when that talent was combined with a frightening work ethic and calculating mindset, a genius like Ino could be created. He knew that, seen it from the very first time they met, and did as much as he could to kindle that flame in her.

"We could have given her this task with Kakashi's or even Guy's team, and the result would be the same." The smoker has to brag, because he's more than a little proud to see the blonde capable of showing off all three tenants of being a ninja in a single battle. As Kiba falls at her feet, he coughs. "And... we should call it here, right?" Both teachers watched as the blonde stumbled against a tree, breathing heavily. Clearly, the battle had left her winded and even if she wasn't _supposed_ to be fighting in such a way, she had won.

From their vantage point, they could see the chunin coming back to consciousness, all three of them confused and more than surprised at the turn of events, right in time for Ino to fall onto her back, exhausted. "...still a little rough around the edges, but yeah, I'll give my recommendation with you if she sits down with them for a few more training sessions."


	2. Warmth (Team 7)

Sakura has to admit that even if she had the best grades for the Academy written exams, both of her teammates were geniuses in their own rights.

With Sasuke, it's _obvious_. He's not only the prodigal son, he's it's second coming. The object of her girlhood affections spends many restless nights training at the same post where Kakashi had so thoroughly trounced them 3 years ago. He's determined, not only to get revenge for the sake of his clan, but to be filled with meaning in the face of despair. His meaning comes from power, and as a girl, Sakura doesn't understand that. She couldn't understand his tragedy even when she _knew_ it, because hearing about a massacre through mission reports and classified documents Tsunade let her look at was a completely different beast from experiencing it first hand. He's a genius driven by pain, by an obsession to be the _best._

Naruto is... a different story. For so long he is just Konoha's Number 1 Knuckleheaded Ninja. A nuisance to shinobi everywhere and a menace to the general public. Even with the hitai-ate, he never outgrows the juvenile demeanor. The pranks stop, sure, but he's still prone to using the Sexy Jutsu as a distraction, he's still the most likely to dive headfirst into a situation without knowing anything about it. He's a whirlpool of chaos wrapped neatly in orange clothes. Sakura spends their genin years hating him for it. He can smile in the face of hopelessness and torment and it makes her feel guilty for ever spitting on his name, for hitting him so many times and always making fun of his ineptitude. She tugs at his emotions like no one else, because he has a fucking crush on _her_ even after all she had said and thought about the Kyuubi container behind his back.

Tsunade smacks her full force, when she refers to her own teammate as "Kyuubi Contanier" in casual conversation, and the pinkette winces at the thought. She... vowed to never do it again, and then went back to studying once her bruised jaw had been iced. It wasn't much of a big deal to her, but as Tsunade explained it, she began to empathize. Naruto was seen as just that, the container for a monster by most of the village. He was an _asset_ before he was a person and Sakura couldn't dare to see him in the same light. At first, her friendship is bred of guilt. She... wants to be a better person, because an unhealthy obsession with Sasuke had created a skewed dynamic with their team. Naruto had been the first to protect them during the Wave Mission, he had been the first to rise to action when things seemed hopeless and while Sasuke backed him up confidently, Sakura had only saw... that. She only acknowledged the Uchiua because he was the object of her affections, a childish sentiment that she was embarrassed to think about now. As the spoke more, as she actually tried to connect with her blonde haired knucklehead, she realized they were kindred spirits. Passionate, overly protective of the things they loved, and just a little childish at times (where Naruto's vice was ramen, Sakura's had and always would be romance novels). They bickered more often than not, but as time passed, as they grew as a team, she came to appreciate the boy as... an ally. Someone she knew as a _friend_.

They're both geniuses, even if Sakura thought the two to be a little stupid most of the time. When they're told to meet in the Kages offices, she assumes its because of this genius. What she doesn't expect, is what her mentor has to say.

"You guys... you need to take a vacation." With paperwork stacked to the ceiling, glasses framing her tired expression, she glances up at the three of them quizzically. "Did someone call you here?" Shizune slips a paper onto her desk, another file, another report. But this one makes the Godaime's eyes light up just a little, a familiar sort of smirk playing at her lips.

"Oh, _right_. Sakura, you're officially on standby. Naruto, Sasuke, you're her bodyguards." The shock in the room could practically be felt, and Naruto voices her thoughts faster than she could filter them.

"We're _what?_ Why does Sakura need to be guarded?"

"...Why can't you get Anbu, if you need to protect her?" It could be her overactive imagination, but Sasuke actually sounded _concerned_ for her. Maybe he thought that the last Uchiha and a Jinchuriki wouldn't be enough to keep her safe?

"Why do I need a pair of bodyguards? What do you mean I'm on _standby?_ " Apparently, disrespecting the Hokage was contagious and the blonde glowers at her student, reminding the girl of her wrath.

"You're taking a _vacation_ , that's why. Look at this." Handing her the very same file Shizune had just gave her, Sakura glances over it as Tsunade gives a brief explanation. "Your teammate, Haruno Sakura, is the hardest working Chunin in the village currently. We're mandated to give her a few days off, and you two are going to make sure she _relaxes_. Do we have an understanding?"

"...what does 'mandated' mean, Baa-Chan?"

"...how many missions did she _do?_ " Sakura's cheeks grow pink at that question and she quickly crumples the report, throwing it into a nearby wastebasket and smiling at her teacher.

"Thanks for being so kind and giving me a break! Come on guys, I don't wanna hold the Hokage up or anything." She's desperate to change the topic, before anyone could question her on these 'missions'. The Sanin probably knew already, if she was actually ordering Sakura to relax, but if her teammates were to find out the truth, she'd be mortified.

Luckily the two geniuses don't see through her ruse. Naruto just assumes that his crush is perfectly okay with this 'bodyguard duty', and follows behind her while Sasuke lingers just long enough to see the paper that Sakura had been so desperate to hide. Like his teammate, his eyes widen when he sees it, before he follows behind them. If she... didn't want to talk about it, then he wouldn't push her to. Not yet.

* * *

"What do you guys want for dinner?" It feels pretty natural, coming to her apartment with the two boys. Since her promotion to Chunin, she had been living alone (like most rational ninja her age) and as a result, didn't have to deal with questioning glances from her parents about being in the presence of a Jinchuriki _again_. Silently, the girl vows to try and be a little sweeter to Naruto, while the knucklehead is sniffing the air, obviously searching for something.

"I want r-"

"No." Sasuke answers for them both, downright reading through Naruto's desire for the noodles. "We had Ichiraku's this morning, dolt. Besides, you need to eat healthier if you wanna be Hokage." His rejection is sharp, as usual, but Sakura is a little surprised by the way he tempts their teammate into an alternative. Naruto takes the bait like a child, grinning wide.

"I wasn't gonna suggest ramen, anyways! Sakura made these really tasty rice balls after we did the bell test and..." He trails off, realizing just how silly it might be to remember such a small detail. They had all bought lunch for one another at some point in time, and in training exercises they always took turn bringing/buying the food. Sakura had only cooked for them once and it was mostly for _Sasuke_ but she... couldn't say no to Naruto when he smiled like that. Even if the blonde didn't finish the story out of bashfulness, they can fill in the blanks pretty easily.

"...Hn. That's not a bad idea."

Sakura practically beams at the indirect praise, and before she knows it, she's talking to the two as if they'd always lived here. "If you want riceballs for dinner, you're gonna have to help. I'm grateful and all but I'm not a maid!" She punches the brunette's shoulder and he scoffs, turning up his nose before walking to the dishes and turning on the faucet.

All in all, the three of them manage to cooperate long enough to make a platter of onigiri. Even if it's not as... neat as it'd been last time, the food tastes _better_ somehow. They eat at a table in relative peace, and through the sounds of Naruto stuffing his face, Sasuke and Sakura manage a conversation.

"Are you ever going to tell us why you lied about the training?"

"Huh?" She speaks with a mouthful of seaweed and nearly sputters, choking. Naruto hits her back once and her fist lands on his head in a reflex, before she hastily apologizes. "S-sorry, I don't get what you mean? How did I lie?" She has to play innocent, has to pretend not to know-

"You couldn't have taken all of these missions if you were really training with Lady Tsunade every weekend." He had been thinking about it, mulling it over while he cleaned, but still couldn't come up with a suitable answer on his own. Suddenly, the homey feeling of the tiny dining room feels... colder. "You... you're the one who told me to stay honest with my teammates, right?" His eyes pierce her and Sakura really isn't afraid of anyone, but in that moment, she's worried that she might have upset Sasuke. "...Why didn't you do the same? You could have told us if you needed money, y'know." _What?_

She looks as confused as Naruto, who hadn't been able to really draw any conclusions on his own yet. "Why would Sakura take more missions to get money? She works for Baa-chan, that _has_ to pay well." the blonde assumed that being an apprentice meant... getting an allowance? Sakura thinks for a moment and realizes that considering Naruto's experience with tutors, that did kind of make sense. Considering how close his mentors were to him, and how strapped for cash the young boy was prior to becoming a ninja, wages from Iruka and Jirirya probably kept him fed for years. But-

"I'm not doing the extra missions for _money._ " She doesn't want their pity, doesn't want the boys to know the truth behind things, but Sasuke looks like a kicked puppy and even Naruto is picking up on the mood, looking between his two teammates.

"So, why do the extra missions and lie about it?" He's blunt without consideration and maybe that's the smart approach, because Sasuke couldn't fathom why, and he couldn't express why it _hurt_ so much to be deceived. "You... you're usually always telling us how you feel. Did something happen?" The words are far too serious to come from the teens rice stained lips. His concern combined with Sasuke's genuine worry is... it's enough to break the girl.

"Okay, _alright_." Hands going up in defeat, Haruno finally meets Sasuke's gaze. "I lied. It was because I was... trying to protect my pride about the entire thing, okay?!" She doesn't mean to give into a outburst but her voice raises without much effort as she grows defensive. Already, too much had been said and she could feel a familiar discomfort picking at her skin. It takes concious effort to compose herself, and she could feel her body relaxing as she did so. "Y-you guys are so _good_ at stuff naturally, or through training at it. And I just..." When she pauses, they look expectantly. Naruto looks downright hurt at the idea that he might have been inadvertently pushing her away, while Sasuke's expression goes from emotional to the usual Uchiha Gaze. Was he just hiding behind a mask, again? Well, it was too fucking late! He had asked for this. It's a fault of hers and they both knew it, but Sakura wore her emotions on her sleeve. It had taken years of practice, but the feeling of simply allowing herself to _feel_ was liberating in a way that sensibility and aloofness never could be to her. To her teammates? She was virtually an open book.

"I didn't want to fall behind you guys, because I'm only smart with _books_ and that doesn't translate well to talent as a ninja." Why are tears building at her eyes, now? Why is this so _emotional_ when all she wanted to do was enjoy a simple dinner with her team? Why did these guys have to be so fucking nice to her, all the time? It was already enough that she loved Sasuke despite the boys many flaws, but Naruto was so _thoughtful_ at times and the entire conversation was something she had wanted to avoid, just because she didn't want to disappoint him. Pushing herself out of the dining chair, she moves towards her room. Okay. That was enough pouring her heart out for one night, and judging by Sasuke's rigid posture and Naruto's stunned expression, neither of them would offer anything useful to her tirade. "I'm going to uh, shower. You guys can clean up, if you want..." She's in motion, far too embarrassedby her outburst to stop now, not even as Naruto calls out to her or when she feels Sasuke's glare piercing her back. She was supposed to _relax_ under these conditions?

* * *

Showers had always been a bit of a personal saving grace for Sakura. Konoha could get rather stifling heat during this season, and with the training and exercise she put herself through daily, she often found the lime green walls of her bathroom to be a place of meditation after a long days work. A way to simply empty her mind and wash her skin of the grime that wasn't visible, a method of easing the burden on her shoulders, even if it was just for a little while. So, when she comes out, clad in a modest set of pajamas and a matching pink sleeping cap, she looks much better for wear. But...

 _"...You can't be serious, Dobe."_

"...huh?" She pauses mid-step in front of her door, surprised at what she could hear from within. Clearly, they hadn't taken her outburst too seriously and Sakura wasn't sure if that was something that annoyed or relieved her. She's about to see what the commotion is, when she hears Naruto. Now that in itself isn't too surprising, but the fact that he was _whispering_ was what threw Sakura for a loop. Why would the obnoxious and loudmouthed blonde ever feel the need to contain himself? The unashamed nature that he held was probably one of his most redeeming qualities, a little facet of his personality that Sakura had come to admire over their years of working together. To hear him whispering was... shocking, to say the least.

 _"I-I forgot I brought it with me, okay?! Please don't tell Sakura..."_

The pinkette nearly bursts through the door right there, overly eager to see just what Naruto would have to hide from her. The outburst all but forgotten, she overs by the door, fingers pressing against the doorknob tentatively. Would she get to hear more of this conversation...?

There's a lull in conversation, in which, Sakura could pick up some movement, shuffling around and such, before Sasuke gives his reply. _"Just... try not to freak out, dobe."_ " His tone sounds resigned and its here, that Sakura decides that this sort of secrecy is something she couldn't stomach. Why would the two of them hide something from her? What sort of things did boys get up to, when left alone anyways? Were they...?

Her cheeks heat up at the stray thought. Maybe Naruto was embarassed about his choice in underwear? But... why would _that_ be any cause? Unless Sasuke was seeing him in his boxers? But.. .that wouldn't make much sense either. _None_ of this seemed to add up just right, and as Sakura draws herself to the door, pushing it open and training her eyes in the darkness of her own room, she's even more confused. Both boys are more than at home on her bed, beneath her blankets. Whatever they were doing... it certainly wasn't helping the pinkette's overactive imagination. Her cheeks flush at the thought of what they could have been doing, but before she could ask, the silence is broken by Naruto shrieking and the covers moving as the boys scuffle for a moment.

"What are..." She's lost her volume in the confusion of it all, and she can't even find the motivation to be indignant because she's just pitifully _curious_ now. So instead of asking, Sakura takes a brave step into the darkness, and then another. "What are you two idiots _doing_ in my room?!" There's shouting as she hits both of their heads, pulling the covers back to reveal two messy teenage boys. While Sasuke looked gruff, if not downright _annoyed_ to have been roped up in Naruto's antics, the hyperactive blonde is morose. While both of them were dressed _down_ , Naruto in a simple black t-shirt with his trademark swirl, and Sasuke in a complimentary white shirt with the uchiwa fan, neither boy present is undressed and... maybe she's a little disappointed about it?

'Uwha... we were just trying to make up your bed and..." Naruto trails off, realizing that he doesn't want to finish that sentence or risk incriminating himself. Sasuke, smooth as ever, steps up for him.

"You're blushing." It's a simple observation but she could hear the question in it. _'Are you feeling better?'_

The unexpressed concern almost makes her melt, but her face was hot enough as is, and she's supposed to be _upset_ with her boys for invading her personal space like this. But Naruto's behavior makes her curious and a little worried, makes it easy for her to forget her own insecurities as she climbs into the bed with them.

"I was." The correction is quick and brief and she prays that neither boy thinks too much of it. In a almost teasing tone, she continues. "Naruto, what's behind your back?" She wants to see him squirm and boy does she get it. The Uzumaki child practically withers beneath her expression and Sasuke scoffs, leaving the blonde hanging out to dry. Okay, maybe they _weren't_ doing anything but he was still trying to hide something from her...

Realizing that he had been caught, he sighs and forks over a... frog? Sakura examines it for a moment, feeling the little porcelain toy with her hands before giving it back. She didn't exactly understand why Naruto would hide something so benign from her, and why he'd be willing to show _Sasuke_ and not her.

"It's a nightlight. I... bring it everywhere with me for good luck." She knows Naruto's telling the truth now, because when he looks up to explain himself, the boy is no longer squirming in the bed, afraid of her glance. But still... why did it feel like she was missing part of the story?

"...Why didn't you wanna tell me? And why does Sasuke get to know about it." Its hard to keep the betrayal out of her tone, but Naruto hears it anyways and it's almost funny how he pouts, throwing caution to the wind as he explained.

"Oh, teme's afraid of the dark so I like, let him borrow it on bad nights." The answer creates more questions than it merited and the way Sasuke growls, annoyed to have been sold out, speaks volumes. Sakura is... a little less annoyed now, but still hurt.

"Dobe! You didn't have to tell her _that_ " He playfully punches Naruto's shoulder and Sakura returns the favor, smiling sweetly at the boys. Sasuke's fear of the dark honestly did make sense, considering his history with what the night usually brought for him in the past. The Uchiha Massacre and the nightmares he'd had for years following it. She wouldn't disparage the ninja for his fear, if only because it made him that much more human in her eyes. And Naruto was... sort of impossible to stay upset with, for all his honesty.

"It's fine, it's fine." She takes initiative, plugging the little frog into the wall near her bedside table. When its mouth and eyes began to light up, she could only snicker. "...this thing's a little weird, y'know." It's meant to tease both boys present, but either they pretend not to hear, or they... simply don't care. Either is nice, because she's comfortable with the silence that follows, as both boys try to find a way to... position themselves on the bed. When it becomes clear that there isn't enough space for the both of them to lay comfortably, they... compromise, somewhat. Sakura's sandwitched between the wall and Naruto's back, while Sasuke gets the edge of the bed to himself, an arm draped over both present. If they were _younger_ , maybe they could have managed this without physical contact but... it was a little too late to be squeamish. Besides, it didn't seem like Naruto minded being in the middle.

They're supposed to be guarding her, making sure she was relaxed, and this is how the two interpreted the mission?

She's almost positive that both have fallen asleep, as the rise and fall of Naruto's broad chest acts as a rhythm for the other two to follow. Except, he speaks in a quiet tone, bright eyes opening to look at her. "...You took those missions because you think..." Sasuke subtly hits his arm, as if begging for the nin to drop it before another argument could flare up, but...

The three of them are pitifully vulnerable in this darkness, so much so, that Sakura doesn't mind speaking with her genius dolts.

"It's fine, Sasuke. I took the missions because I want to keep up with you two. We're supposed to be a _front line_ team, and yet I don't really... feel like I'm as good as you two are. Not at _that_ , at least." She was demonstrably strong, yes. Her chakra control was beyond that of a average Jounin at this point, but in the face of a bujuu and the sharringan, it didn't mean much. She didn't stand out in the same way that her friends did and while it was something that she didn't think about constantly, it just...

"I don't want to be what's holding us back, I guess." The wind howls and both of her boys are silent as they think it over. It's embarrassing, absolutely mortifying to say. She had taken every mission she could get her hands on, just to avoid being reminded of their strength in their spars. And still, they were the ones protecting her.

"Do you remember that really bad fight me and Naruto had?" Sasuke speaks up first and the question is much too sudden for her to understand at first. What was... his reasoning, for bringing that up? Of _course_ she remembered that. Right after both of them had been released from the hospital following the disaster of the Chunin exams, both of them had been itching to 'prove their strength', or whatever. In their display of machismo, the geniuses had nearly killed one another and it had been _Sakura_ to find them in the Forest of Death, both idiots scarred beyond belief.

"Yeah, I remember. I practically carried two _corpses_ to Shizune that day!" She's angry all over again, angry that they had both ignored her constant pleas to stop squabbling, to just bury this strange hatchet they held toward one another because there was a healthy rivalry, and then there was... nearly killing your ally.

"...After that, Naruto and I promised that we wouldn't make you cry again." She's cut off from her tirade by the admission and any wind she had for playful banter is forgotten. She's thankful that they would... do that for her sake, really. It did sort of make sense, that following that dispute the two never seemed to flat out argue. They would butt heads constantly, but more often than not, one party would simply concede eventually. It was something Kakashi had called 'boys growing up', but Sakura saw it as a blessing. Still, she doesn't understand what that has to do with the topic of her strength. Was Sasuke simply trying to coddle her?

"...You're the strongest person we know, and if you wanna get stronger, you can take more missions. Just know, you aren't being left behind." He seems to read her mind, right as Naruto turns on his side, smiling widely at the bleary-eyed pinkette.

"Yeah! You're Tsunade's best student! If anything, you're the one leaving _us_ in the dust." He's overzealous and it's kind of cute but Sakura can only sniffle. These two idiots are her family, and she really feared that they would grow to strong to need her on the team?

"...You don't have any flashy jutsu yet, but you always beat both of us in the taijutsu spars." Which was... a terrifying testament to her own power. Even with their combined skills, Sasuke's sharringan, and Naruto's abundance of unexpected attacks, the best they could do was fight the pinkete to a draw (and that was only _once_ , when Sakura was still pulling punches). Typically, they'd both get trounced as a reminder of their biggest weakness, and then they'd work on team attacks for the afternoon. "I can't imagine any kunochi filling your spot as our muscle." The flattery isn't much,but it still brings a smile to her face. Naruto wipes at her tears and laughs, elbowing Sasuke.

"We made her cry, Teme."

"She's just upset because she thought we were... indecent, when she came in."

"W- _what?_ "

Her teammates were absolute _idiots_ sometimes, but by god, did she love them.


End file.
